In: Biology
As a tree grows older, which of the following increases more rapidly in thickness?
(a) heart wood
(b) sap wood
(c) phloem
(d) cortex.
(a) Heart wood
Heartwood or duramen is the dark colored timber close to the centre of the axis shaped after many years of secondary growth of stem. A small outer location, however, remains mild colored. it's miles called sap wooden or alburnum. The heartwood is fashioned because of adjustments within the factors of the secondary xylem.
As secondary growth precedes most of the older elements of secondary xylem lose water and come to be filled with natural compounds which includes oils, gums, resins, tannins, and aromatic and colouring substances. The wood becomes dark coloured because of gathering of these materials and is also termed as duramen.
The sap wood is the light colored location of the secondary xylem. Cells of this vicinity are functionally lively. The elements of the secondary xylem brought by way of cambial activity are those of sap timber. but progressively most of these elements get converted into coronary heart wooden. consequently the amount of coronary heart wooden will increase because the tree grows older. the quantity of sap wood, however, remains nearly constant.